Saltaire
A Victorian model village.
My last post featured a few photos from this well known corner of the North of England. Seeing these views again got me thinking back to my first visit to this remarkable place. It came about through my involvement with a facebook photography group, some years ago, called Strictly Yorkshire. During the summer of 2012 the founder of the group organised a day out to Saltaire for any members that would like to go along. I rather liked the idea and my younger son also showed an interest in going, so we both signed up for it.
Having never been there before we weren't quite sure what to expect - luckily we weren't disappointed. The mill is an impressive sight by any standard and the streets of houses and shops, built originally for the workforce back in it's industrial heyday, are a delight to wander around.
Saltaire is the physical realisation of one man's vision to make life better for his workforce, providing housing of a higher standard than would have been available in nearby Bradford and the surrounding area. That man was Sir Titus Salt and the place's name was an amalgam of his name and the adjacent river, the Aire. More of the place's fascinating history can be found here.
All in all, it was an enjoyable day out.
(Regarding the kit, all these images were taken on my even-then-veteran Canon EOS 350D with Sigma 17-70 zoom. I still have it, it still works fine, and still goes out ‘n’ about once in a while.)
Thank you for joining me on this day out to Saltaire. I hope you enjoyed the photos.
+++
Thank you you for stopping by. If you enjoyed reading this please consider making a contribution to our collective future and plant a tree. All proceeds go to:-
Ah yes, the utopian vision of the industrial revolution that isn't all it's made out to be. Houses built for the workers at the Saltaire Mill were subjected to high rent and questionable conditions of occupation including eviction without notice should anyone be unable to work through illness or injury. Titus Salt may wish us to believe he was a philanthropic benefactor, but in truth he was a tyrant who insisted his employees bought all their food and sundries from shops he owned. He is said to be the inspiration for the name Titus Aduxass, given to misers who hated spending their own money and wanted it all back, with interest!
Many thanks for these glimpses into what appears to be quite an interesting place. Nice shots.